On the first play of the Oklahoma State drive, Cowboy quarterback Zac Robinson completed a short pass to tight end Brandon Pettigrew, who then weaved in and out of Tech defenders on his way to a 54-yard, game-winning touchdown. OSU won the Big 12 Conference opener, 49-45.

"(Tech's) SAM (linebacker) bailed and left me in a hole, and Zac got it to me," Pettigrew said. "It was meant to probably be a 5-, 6-, 7-yard play, but somehow I made a play."

Associated Press

Oklahoma State quarterback Zac Robinson, left, heads into the end zone with a touchdown in the second quarter of a college football game in Stillwater, Okla, Saturday, Sept. 22, 2007. Texas Tech defenders Paul Williams (48) and Marton Williams (39) look on.

He made the play by breaking multiple tackles and out-running the secondary.

Tech coach Mike Leach said his team's inability to make a tackle when it matters does not need to be corrected by more tackling drills in practice.

"I think they need to work on their mentality," he said. "They need to work on having a burning desire to be tougher than the guy across from him."

At the half, the Cowboys had 331 yards of total offense, including 228 yards on the ground, and converted on all nine third-down conversion opportunities.

"We acted like we're some inferior group," Leach of his defense, "and we can't perform because we're not good enough and wanted to overanalyze and give a bunch of reasons for not being successful. They can feel sorry for themselves all they want or they can be tougher."

Saturday marked the first time in 45 games that the Red Raiders allowed more than 500 yards of offense as they allowed 610. Robinson, Dantrell Savage and Kendall Hunter each rushed for more than 100 yards, the first time in OSU history that three players broke the century mark on the ground.

Tech linebacker Paul Williams said the team's inability to contain Robinson was not from a lack of preparation.

Game Day

Play of the gameOklahoma State QB Zac Robinson rushed for a 48-yard TD in the second quarter in a third-and-20 situation.Turning pointWhen Tech kicked a 19-yard field goal at the 4:49 mark of the fourth quarter, the lone score that wasn't a touchdown.Next weekThe Red Raiders should get healthy with just their second home game of the season. Northwestern (La.) State comes to Lubbock.

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"He is an athlete," he said. "We knew he was a running quarterback, and we were prepared for that. Basically, we got outplayed."

Oklahoma State used less than a minute of clock time to score on three different occasions Saturday.

"The defense can't sit there and pout," Leach said. "The other guy, he scores or does something, lower your pads, run your feet, get mean and nasty."

Leach said each side of the ball has to work to win and not expect the other two sides to finish the job for them, and the coaching staff has to improve themselves and the team. If there is a weak link, action must be taken.

"I think it falls on the coaches," Leach said. "The players need to be committed enough to rise up. If we have a few that aren't, we need to get rid of them."

Williams offered no excuses for how the defense performed, but admitted the team has an issue with performing in clutch situations.

"We just got outplayed when it counted the most," he said.

Tech allowed several firsts for OSU. Receiver Seth Newton threw the first touchdown pass of his career. Jeremy Broadway recorded his first career touchdown reception on Newton's throw, and Dez Bryant also caught the first touchdown of his career.